Denise M O'Shea

US Patent:

20070094239, Apr 26, 2007

Filed:

Oct 21, 2005

Appl. No.:

11/163531

Inventors:

Giacomo Catucci - Clinton Corners NY, US
Robert Cremins - Poughkeepsie NY, US
Larry Dahl - Beacon NY, US
Alfredo Fappiano - Torrington CT, US
Vincent Giancaspro - Wappingers Falls NY, US
Michael Lauri - Montgomery NY, US
Denise O'Shea - Hopewell Junction NY, US
Joel Popelsky - Highland Mills NY, US

Assignee:

INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION - ARMONK NY

International Classification:

G06F 17/30

US Classification:

707003000

Abstract:

A method, system and program product for communicating part data between an enterprise and a particular supplier of a plurality of suppliers to the enterprise are disclosed. In one embodiment, the invention provides a part number library database at the enterprise including part number detail data regarding a plurality of parts to be procured from the plurality of suppliers. The part number library database is used to generate a part number detail document file including all part number detail documents for the particular supplier, and a part number detail document add/change file including any new part number detail documents and any changed part number detail documents compared to a last generation of the part number detail document file for the particular supplier. The two files are then communicated to the particular supplier. Hence, the invention reduces duplicative work at the enterprise and ensures that the enterprise and the supplier are up-to-date on part information.